Black History Month Reflection: The Fight to Reclaim Our Power and Legacy

As we observe Black History Month, it's crucial to reflect on the full history of resistance, struggle, and the fight for true liberation. Our ancestors faced unimaginable challenges, but they also displayed incredible resilience. However, the story of Black people in America, and around the world, is not just one of survival—it’s about the constant effort to reclaim what was stolen from us, including our bodies, our bloodlines, and our generational wealth.

From the period of slavery to the present day, systems were created to weaken the Black and Brown body—physically, mentally, and spiritually. European colonial powers, including France and England, worked to not only dominate our lands but to dilute our full melanated skin, bloodlines, and the natural frequencies that were once a source of strength and wisdom. This systematic dilution wasn't just about blood—it was about erasing the powerful knowledge and connection our ancestors had to the earth, to healing, and to spiritual practices that had long been dismissed by colonial powers.

The history of Black people in North America is deeply tied to the presence of the Moors—the original Black aristocracy, whose influence on European history and global civilization cannot be overstated. From the 1600s onward, as European powers like France and England began to take control of territories in Canada and beyond, they set in motion a process of exploitation, trafficking, and cultural dilution. The French presence in Canada and Europe’s involvement with the Black Plague, the Renaissance, and the broader colonial system resulted in attempts to erode and manipulate the true legacy of Black and Moorish bloodlines.

These historical acts weren’t just about land or resources—they were about stripping away the cultural and economic foundations that we, as Black people, had built over centuries. The result was an ongoing effort to weaken our ties to our original wealth and power, placing us at the mercy of a system designed to perpetuate our disempowerment.

But as we reflect on this history, we also recognize the immense resilience and strength of our ancestors. They fought against systems that sought to erase their identities and legacies. Today, we are the heirs to that fight—a fight for justice, economic empowerment, and the reclamation of our true heritage.

During the time of the Black Plague, European doctors mocked and disrespected African and Black doctors, who had been the true practitioners of medicine and healing for centuries. These Black healers were often dismissed as "primitive," even though their practices were rooted in a deep understanding of the body, nature, and the interconnectedness of all things. The European medical establishment, with its Eurocentric worldview, sought to undermine the knowledge of Black and Brown people and replace it with their own frameworks, which often lacked the holistic approach and wisdom that had long been passed down through generations of African and Indigenous cultures.

This intellectual and cultural theft was not just about power over land—it was about power over minds. By altering belief systems and controlling the narrative around science, medicine, and healing, European colonialists sought to weaken the Black and Brown body and mind, reducing us to mere subjects in need of control and exploitation.

These historical tactics of cultural erasure and weakening of the body and mind have had lasting effects. The fight against this cultural, intellectual, and physical theft continues today. We are the heirs of that struggle, and it’s our duty to reclaim the fullness of our identities, our legacies, and our ancestral wisdom. 

This Black History Month, let us not only remember the strength and resilience of our ancestors but also recognize the ongoing work to restore what was taken from us. Our bloodlines, our healing traditions, and our connection to the earth are powerful. We are more than the systems that have sought to break us down. Together, we can rebuild our power, reclaim our wealth, and honor our true history.